


Chapter Six - Complications

by schweet_heart



Series: Merlin Fic [211]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arranged Marriage, Canon Era, Idiots in Love, Light Angst, Love Confessions, M/M, Magic Revealed, Merlin's Magic Revealed (Merlin), Mistaken Identity, Post-Magic Reveal, Round Robin, The Round Table Round Robin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:48:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27189575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/schweet_heart/pseuds/schweet_heart
Summary: Merlin's decision to reveal his final (biggest?) secret takes an unexpected turn when Arthur reveals a secret of his own.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Merlin Fic [211]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/70688
Comments: 21
Kudos: 198
Collections: Merlin Round Table Round Robin





	Chapter Six - Complications

**Author's Note:**

> This is the sixth chapter of [The Round Table Round Robin](https://roundtableroundrobin.tumblr.com/) organised by the inimitable [tehfanglyfish](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tehfanglyfish). I've had a lot of fun participating in this round - thank you so much for organising this event! ❤️
> 
> You can find the previous chapters here:
> 
> [Chapter One - Keeping Secrets](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Merlin_Round_Table_Round_Robin/works/26545822) by [FervidAsAFlame](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FervidAsAFlame/pseuds/FervidAsAFlame)  
> [Chapter Two - Wayward Magic](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Merlin_Round_Table_Round_Robin/works/26656576) by [undercardboardstars](https://archiveofourown.org/users/undercardboardstars/pseuds/undercardboardstars)  
> [Chapter 3 - Temptation](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Merlin_Round_Table_Round_Robin/works/26774329) by [highlynerdy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/highlynerdy/pseuds/highlynerdy)  
> [Chapter 4 - Euraidd ac Arian](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Merlin_Round_Table_Round_Robin/works/26915602) by [AeonTheDimensionalGirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AeonTheDimensionalGirl/pseuds/AeonTheDimensionalGirl)  
> [Chapter Five - Spilling Secrets](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Merlin_Round_Table_Round_Robin/works/27030208) by [queerofthedagger](https://archiveofourown.org/users/queerofthedagger/pseuds/queerofthedagger)
> 
> You'll need to read those fics to understand what's happening here, so make sure you check them out first and leave the creators some love!
> 
> As ever, please do not repost my work elsewhere or archive my fics on Goodreads.

It wasn’t as if he didn’t know what to say. All it would take was five little words—three words, if he wanted to be simple about it—words that he rediscovered by accident practically every other day. _I love you_ , he realised as he watched Arthur showing off on the training field; _I love you_ , when Arthur announced he was going to lift the ban on magic; even, _gods help me,_ why _do I love you_ when Arthur was, inevitably, acting like a royal prat. He’d almost blurted it out so often that it came as something of a surprise to find the words weren’t lining themselves up ready to fall off his tongue, but one look at Arthur’s expectant face made his mouth go dry. 

“I…” he started, but that was as far as he got before his throat seized up. If he hadn’t known better, he might have thought this was the Goddess interfering again, keeping him from making a fool of himself for the second time that night, but she had seemed adamant that Merlin should confess his secrets, not keep them. “There _is_ something else I’ve been meaning to tell you…”

“Yes?” Arthur raised both eyebrows. “Spit it out, then.” 

Merlin stared at him helplessly. It was all right for _Arthur_ , who had apparently never had a secret in his life, but Merlin was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that the king knew about his magic. Admitting his feelings out loud might have been the less dangerous choice, in the grand scheme of things—at the very least, he was fairly certain he wouldn’t end up being executed for them—but somehow that made it no less terrifying.

At last, Arthur sighed. “I’ll take a guess, shall I?” he said, sitting back in his chair and steepling his fingers with the look of a man about to remove the bandage from a still-healing wound. “You can tell me if I’m close.” 

He waited, and when Merlin didn’t object he said, “You’re in love with someone.” 

All the breath left Merlin’s lungs.

“You’re in love with someone,” Arthur repeated, his voice low, his gaze never wavering from Merlin’s face, “but you’re not sure if they love you back, and you’ve been trying to find the courage to tell them how you feel only you’re afraid it will ruin what you already have. How am I doing so far? 

“Good,” Merlin squeaked. “I mean—that’s basically what I…”

“ _And_ ,” Arthur went on, as if needing to get it over with, “that person is a man.”

Merlin gulped. “Yes.”

“Who lives in this castle.” 

“Yes.” 

“Someone you spend a lot of time with.” 

“Yes.” Merlin’s cheeks were burning now, and he wondered if Arthur was going to make him wait while he worked his way through the list of all his attributes. Was he torturing Merlin on purpose, or was this his way of trying to let him down gently? Either way, Merlin hoped the list included _he’s an insufferable ass_. “Arthur, listen—”

“It’s all right, Merlin,” Arthur said, and all trace of his earlier softness was gone now, replaced by the firm jaw and steely resolve that Merlin recognised as a precursor to bad news. “I certainly don’t think less of you for—preferring the company of men. However, I’m afraid it falls to me to tell you that it would be unwise to pursue this person at this time.” He looked away, and through the haze of shock Merlin saw his fingers flex on the arms of his chair as if in memory of a touch. “I have it on good authority that he is already promised to someone else.”

  
+

  
Had Arthur stood up and announced that he was quitting Camelot to go live as a farmer, Merlin could not have been more shocked. He stared across the table in stunned silence, and Arthur stared back at him, his steady expression somehow managing to convey nothing and everything all at once. How long? Merlin wanted to ask. How long had Arthur been keeping _this_ from him?

Across the room, an old and probably very valuable vase exploded noisily. The sound broke the moment, as both Merlin and Arthur jumped to their feet—Arthur’s hand going to his sword and Merlin’s reaching out to stop him, a brief touch on the arm that ended as soon as Merlin recollected what he was doing.

“Sorry,” he said, and winced. “My magic has been acting up ever since I touched the stone—I’m not sure why. I didn’t mean to do that.” 

“It’s fine.” Arthur waved off the apology, although his gaze lingered on the ceramic fragments for a few moments longer. “I never liked that one, anyway. Are you all right?” 

“Fine.” He tried to muster up a grin. “You just surprised me, is all. Here I was thinking you had no secrets.” 

Something like a smile lightened Arthur’s face for an instant, then it was gone again.

“Always underestimating me, Merlin,” he said, shaking his head in mock sorrow, and it wasn’t only the fondness in his voice that made Merlin’s heart ache. Slowly, Arthur sat back down, tearing his gaze away from the doomed vase, and he gestured for Merlin to do the same.

“Your—secret actually brings us to the other thing the Triple Goddess revealed tonight,” he said, and Merlin sat up straighter. “Albion’s in danger.” 

“ _You’re_ in danger,” Merlin corrected. “Although, I suppose ultimately it amounts to the same thing. But what does that have to do with—” He couldn’t say the words, _your impending marriage_ , so he just waved his hand in Arthur’s general direction and hoped that the meaning would be implied. 

Arthur’s mouth quirked. “That remains to be seen,” he said. He spread his hands out on the table between them, each finger hitting the wood one after the other in a deliberate cadence. “Tell me, Merlin. What do you know about a man named Emrys?” 

**Author's Note:**

> And thus, I hand over the reins to my successor XD
> 
> If you'd like to follow along with the rest of the story, check out the [@roundtableroundrobin](https://roundtableroundrobin.tumblr.com/) blog on tumblr for the posting schedule and master list, which will be updated as each new chapter is posted :)


End file.
